Toy or advertising device



May12,'1931. J. GALLAGHER 1,804,925

TOY OR ADVERTiSING DEVICE Filed April 24, 19:50

Patented May 12, 1931 PATENT OFFICE JOHN GALLAGHER, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA 'roY on anviznrrsrue nnvron Application filed April 24,

The object of the invention is to provide improvements in advertising devices and toys, and particularly in that type which,

after being released from a predetermined position, will continue in motion for a considerable length of time, during which its parts will assume different relative positions, thereby adapting the device to many uses.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is balanced upon a given fulcrum or pivotal support, with means to accurately balance the device to counteract any inherent unbalance which it may possess.

A further object is to provide such a device with both rolling and pendulum means, which in their respective ways can beemployedto produce varying results, or display difierent information, visual impressionsyor optical illusions, due to their repeatedly changing positions.

Still another objectis toprovide in such a' device a construction wherein a preferably closed vessel having a concave bottom is camouflaged by being surrounded by an object of either well-known. or special design,

and in said vessel is positioned a liquid which either alone or in conjunction with the rolling means tends to keep the device in motion. i/Viththes'e and other objects in mind, the

invention comprises numerous details of construction and "operation which are hereinafter clearly brought out in-the following description, when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention. p

Referring to the drawing, a support for one embodiment of the invention is shown as comprising a base portion 1, upon which is carried a knife-edge fulcrum 2, which fits into .the upwardlytapering concave under surface 3 of a member 4, comprising-a depending projection from arelatively narrow platform 5, which is elongated from left to right when viewed as in the drawing.

.Upon the oppositeend portions 6 and 7 of said platform are secured transversely concave troughs 8 or'the like, in whichare.

adaptedto roll balls or wheels 9 and 10, these lattercomprising rolling members under surface of said platform is also providedi'with aligned rods 15, the major por- 1930. seria in. 446,953.

which upon their laterally outer surfaces may carry pictorial representations, advertising matter, or indicia of any desired sort. The troughs at their adj acent ends 11 are curved upwardly, while their opposite ends may also be curved upwardly, or may terminate abruptly against rubber or similar yielding means 12, which afford stops for the rolling members.

It will be noted that from eyelets 13, carried by the under surface of said platform, there extend downwardly equally tensioned springs 14, the lower ends of which latter are preferably connected to the base 1. The

tions of which are in spaced relation with sald supportmgsurface, and carry welghts '16 which may be shifted towards or away from the fulcrum 2 and finally secured in the desired position by any suitable means,

thereby effecting a balancing of the platform and the elements carried thereby.

From the center of the upper side of the I,

said platform there arises a post 17, which may be cylindrical or of any other-desired shape, but which ishere shown as being of rectangular cross section. At any desired point 18 upon this post there is pivotally mounted a pendulum disc 19, having a segmental aperture 20 through which two or more regions 21 and 22 of the surface of said post (or of an article carried by said post) are alternately visible, as the device sways alternately to-and-fro upon its fulcrum, and

the dead weight'of said disc causes it to hang vertically downwardly from said pivot and thereby swing with relation ,to said post. 'The magnitude of movement of said disc may be predetermined and its movement in'opposite" directions arrested by providing upon said disc a pair of spaced lugs 28, which-alternately impinge against a spring or other form of yielding stop 24 carried by said post.

Upon the upper end'of the post 17 there 1 is provided a vessel 25 which preferably comprises a concave bottom wall and vis adapted to contain water, mercury, or other liquid 26. This vessel is supported by legs or the like 27 within any desired hollow oh- 7 ject, such as the model or replica of an airplane 28, or in fact any other suitable article, whether of a well-known or special design and appearance. The top of said vessel 1s spanned by a closure 29, which may either be removable, or provided. with a normally closed aperture, through which the liquid 26 may be emptied, renewed, or replared. In the case of the airplane replica, this also embodies laterally extending wings 30, only one of which is visible, a rear rudder 31, and a tractor propeller 32 which is carried by a retatable shaft 33. This shaft may extend through the forward portion of the airplane fuselage and upon its inner end carry a small pinion 34, which engaged by a rack 35 in the form of an arc, carried by an arm 86, extending laterally through slot 36 from a disc 37 which is pivotally supported. by the opposite wall of the airplane 28 at 38, and from which depends a pendulum arm 39 carrying a weight 40. lViththis arrange ment which but representative of many such suitable constructions, oscillation of he device to-and-fro upon the fulcrum 2 causes the weight 40 to swing with respect to the post 17 thus oscillating the arm 36 and rack 35, with the result that the pinion 34 and propeller 32 rotate, first in one direction and then in the other in time with the movement and in accordance with the direction of the airplane.

It is obvious that a device of this character when used as a toy or small advertising device may be started in motion by merely pushing it to oneiside or the other manually.

However, if desired, a spring-pressed latch mg a platform, a fulcrum for said platform,

41 may be mounted upon any relatively fixed support 462 (to which the base 1 is also secured, if desired), and adapted to engage this latch is a lug 43, carried by the platform 5. hen the adjacent endv 7 of said platform is depressed, the said lug engages said latch and the platform is thereafter maintained in the position shown in dot-and: dash lines 44, as long as may be desired; Finally, when it is desired to start the device in motion, pressure upon a trigger 45 releases said latch and immediately permits the springs 14 (first one, and then the other) to start the device in its normal method of oporation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is l 1. A device of the class described, comprising a platform, a fulcrum for said platform, opposed springs to continue the oscillation of said platform when once started, guides carried by said platform provided at their opposite ends with stops, and rolling members movable with respect to said guides as said platform oscillates.

2. A device of the class described, comprisopposed springs to continue the oscillation of said platform when once started, guides carried by said platform, each of which is provided with a yielding stop in one direction and in. the opposite direction is deflected, and rolling members movable with respect to said guides as said platform oscillates and their motion being arrested in one direction by said 7 stop and in the other direction by said deflec tion.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a member mounted upon a pivotal support, resilient means to maintain for a long period of oscillation of said member upon said support, a plurality of sets of indicia carried by said member, and a pendulum pivotally carried by said member and adapted as said member oscillates to expose said indicia periodically.

4t. Adevice' of the class described, comprising a member mounted upon a pivotal support, resilient means to maintain for a long period oscillation of said member upon said support, a plurality of sets of indicia carried by said member, and an apertured disc pivotally carried by said member and as said member oscillates to expose said indicia periodically through its aperture.

5. A device of the class described, compris-' ing an oscillatable member, resilient means to sustain said member under oscillation, and a vessel. carried by said member containing liquid and elongated in the direction of motion of said member, the flow of liquid in said vessel operating to lengthen the period of oscillation of said member.

6. A device of the class described, compris ing an oseillatable platform, a pivotal support therefor, resilient means to sustain the oscillation of said platform upon said support, means to balance said platform to neutraliz e the effect of original unbalance, guides carried by said platform, rolling members carried by said guides, yielding stops for said members at the opposite ends of said guides, and deflections of said guides at their adjacent ends operating to arrest the movement of said rolling members.

7 A device of the class described, comprising an oscillatable platform, a pivotal support therefor, resilient means to sustain the oscillation of said platform upon said support, means to balance said platform to neutralize the effect of original unbalance, guides carried by said platform, rolling members carried by said guides, yielding stops for said members at the opposite ends of said guides, deflections of said guides at their adjacent ends operating to arrest the movement of said rolling members, a post rising from said platform, and a vessel containing a liquid carried by said post and elongated in the direction of oscillation of movement of said platform and post, the movement of the liquid operatcarried by said platform, rolling'members' carried by said guides, yielding stops for said members at the opposite ends of said guides, deflections of said guides at their adjacent ends operating to arrest the movement of said rolling members, a member arising from said platform, a rotary element carried by said member, a pendulum also carried by said member, and a rack-and-plnlon connection between sa1d platform and pendulum, whereby oscillation of said platform causes said pendulum likewise to oscillate and said element to rotate first in one direction and then in the other.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

JOHN GALLAGHER. 

